Power hoist curtain



Dec. 15, 1931.

J. B. MAPLES POWER HOIST CURTAIN Filed Dec. 27, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 1INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY.

Dec. 15, J B M PL S POWER HOIST CURTAIN 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 27,1930 I INVENTOR. J'aelzB/Ilapiag A TTORNEY.

Patented Dec. 15, 1931 v I DR TA E JACK B. names, or MIDDLESIBQRO,KENTUCKY rownnrrors'r cunmm Application filed December 27, 1930. "Serialin. 505,337,

This invention relates to a power hoist cur-.

tain particularly adapted for use on locomotive cabs, and has for itsprimary object to provide, in a manner as hereinafter set forth, acurtain of such character which may be a quickly raised from within thecab by merely turning a valve,thereby providing an element of safety forthe Occupants of the cab in the event of a wreck or the like.

A further object of the invention is to provide a power hoistcu'rtainofthe character aforesaid, the operation of which will not be a'flected"by strain caused by curves'in the track. p i

A further object of the invention is to .pro-

'vide a power hoist curtain of the character aforesaid which ismaintained entirely out of the Way when the curtainelements are in openposition, and therefore which need not be removed during the seasons ofthe year in which the curtain elements "are seldom or never needed. f

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention consistsofthe novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts ashereinafter more particularly described, and as illustrated in theaccompanying drawings; wherein is shown an embodiment of the invention,but it is to be understood that the description and drawings are to betaken as illustrative and that the invention is intended to be limitedonly by the scope of the claims hereunto appended.-

like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout theseveral views Figure 1 is a sectional side elevation showing a powerhoist curtain in accordance with this invention in applied position withrespect to a locomotive cab.

Figure2 is an enlargedfragmentary section taken onthe line 2-2 of Figure1.

Figure 3 is a vertical transverse section taken at a pointindicatedbythe line 33 ofFigure 1.

Figure 4 is an enlarged sectional elevation through the pressurecylinder and associated parts. i

Figure 5 is an enlarged section taken on the line 55 of Figure 4; i

Figure 6 is a top plan of a modified form of pressure cylinder andassociated parts.

Referring to the drawings in detail, the numeral '1 indicates generallya locomotive cab having the usual side openings 2 which are adapted tobe closed bymeansof a pair of curtain elements 3 forming a part of thepresent invention; The curtain elements 3 ma be formedof any suitableflexible materia and are pro-10 vided 'adgacent their lower edges vwithoppositely isposed anchor members 4: formed at their outer ends withspherical heads .5 which are adapted to slide within slotted 7 guideelements 6 secured to the walls of the a openings 2. The guide elements6 are of c lindrical construction and are flaredat t eir upper ends asindicated at to permit the ready insertion of the heads 5 thereinto.While the heads 5 are shown as spherical, and the guides 6 ascylindrical, the heads and guides might be of any other suitable,corresponding shape.

The curtain elements 3 are securedat their upper ends to drums 8 whichare preferabl formed with reduced end portions 9. Eac

of the drums 8'is fixedly mounted on a shaft 10 extending therethrough,the shaft being "rotatably supported in a, pair' of brackets 11 securedto the cab 1. Eachof the'shafts 10 on which the drums 8 are mounted isprovided at one end with a pulley 12 which is mounted for rotation withthe-shaft. In the accompanying drawings in which Suitably connected withthe cab 1, by means of brackets 13, is a pressure cylinder 14 havingoneend thereof connec'tedwith an air pressure line 15' provided withacut off valve 16 and furtherprovided with an exhaust valve 17'locatedbetween the valve 16 and the cylinder 14. Slidably mounted within thecylinder 14 is a piston 18 which is fixedl secured to a piston rod 19slidably 'exten ing through a stufiing box 20 formed on'the end of thecylinder 14 opposite the air line 15. The'piston rod 19 is flattened atits outer end as indicated at 21, the flattened outer endbeingfixedlysecured to a substantially U-shaped supporting member 22 for a stubshaft 23 which is journaled in and extends through the supporting memmsber. Fixedly mounted on the shaft 23, between the'legs of the member 22,is a gem 24, the teeth of which mesh with the teeth of a rack 25supported by brackets 26 secured to the cab 1. Depending from theSupport ing member 22 is a guide bracket 27 which is suitably formed toreceive a lower portion of the rack '25 therein, the guide bracket 27serving to steady the member 22 with respect to the rack 25.

Fixedly mounted on the stub shaft 23-is a double pulley 28 to which isconnected a pair of chains 29 and 30 respectively. The chain 29 passesover an .idler pulley 31 rotatably mounted on a stubshaft 32 journaledina bracket 33 secured to the cab 1. From the idler pulley 31, the chain29 extends to the pulley 12 on one of the shafts and is fixedly securedto such pulley. -The chain 30-'e:'xtends from the pulley 281to thepulley -12 on the opposite. shaft 10 and is fixedly se'-' cured to suchpulley. The chains 29 and 30 extend over the pulleys '12 in an outwarddirection andhave portions thereof wound -overthe pulleys;

In Figures 1 and '3, the curtain elements 3 are shown'inclosureposition, in which position the piston '18 will be located ad-'rjacent the end of the cylinder 14 connected with the airline 15, :andthe valves 16 and .17 will :be closed. If it is desired to elevatetthecurtain elements .3 toopen position, the :valve 16 is opened toprovide for the ad- :mission of compressed air .or the ilike into thecylinder 14 in order to movethe piston -18 longitudinally of thecylinder. *Upon 'movem'ent of the piston .18, the

gear .24 is moved along the rack and .thechains 29 :and are wound on thepulley 28 simultaneously withlthe unwinding of the chains from thepulleys 12. The unwinding of the :chains from :thepu-lleys 12 cause thedrums 8 tobe rotated in .a manner to wind thecurtainelements-3 thereon.The ratio of the ,gear 24 to the strokes of the piston 18 is such thatthe curtain elementsl3 will be elevated {by .one:stroke of the pistonoperating in a relatively short-cylinder. So long as the valve 16remains open, and the valve '17 remains .closed, the air pressure withinthe cylinder 14 .will maintain the curtain elements in their .open orraised position.

. If it is desired to lowerthe curtain ele- =ments 3, the valve 16 isclosed and the valve '17 is opened to relieve the pressure within thecylinder. After the pressure within the -:cylinder has been relieved,the curtain elements 3 may bereadily moved to closure posithe cylindermay escape to prevent undue strain on the cylinder.

Instead of employing the gear 24 and rack 25 in connection with arelatively short cylinder such as 14, a relatively long cylinder such asshown at 34 in Figure 6 may be employed. The employment of a longcylinder such as 34 also necessitates 'the employment of a relativelylong piston rod 35 in order that the piston 36 may move throughout thelength of the cylinder 34. "When this form of cylinder and piston rod isemployed, preferably the piston rod will have fixedly connected theretoa bracket 37 which is slidably supported within a suitably mounted guide38 disposed beneath the projected piston rod 35. Fixedly connected tothe bracket 37 are a pair of chains 39 and 40 which correspond to thechains 29 and 30 heretofore described. The form of cylinder andassociated parts shown in Figure 6 may be employed advantag eouslywhenever it is unnecessary to limit the length ofithe cylinder due tolack of space.

It is thought that the many advantages of a power hoist curtain inaccordance with this invention will be readily apparent, and althoughthe preferred embodiments of the invention are as illustrated anddescribed, it is to be understood that changes in the size,

shape and arrangement of parts may be rek sorted'to, so long as suchchanges fall within the scope of the invention as defined in theappended claims. WVhile the invention is above describedin connectionwith a locomotivecab, it is to be understood that the same may beemployed in connect-ion with any vehicle or the other structure forwhich the same is foundto be applicable.

lVhat I claim is 1. In an apparatus for winding a curtain on a drum tohoist the curtain, apressure cylinder, a .piston slidable within thecylinder andhaving a rod projecting therefrom, means operativelyconnecting the piston rod with the drum to provide for rotation of thedrum upon movement of the piston, and means for admitting a pressuremedium to one end of the cylinder to move the piston, said cylinderhaving an exhaust port adjacent but spaced from its opposite end toprovide for the escape of excess pressure within the cylinder.

2. In an apparatus for winding a curtain on a drum to hoist the curtain,a pressure cylinder, a piston slidable within the cylinder and having arod projecting therefrom, 13w.

sup-port secured to the outer end of the piston rod, a shaft.journaledin said support, a gear fixedly mounted on said shaft, astationary rack having its teeth in mesh with said gear, meansoperatively connecting said shaft with said drum to provide for theirrotation in unison, and means for admitting a pressure medium to one endof the cylinder to move the piston to rotate the gear, said cylinder thehaving an exhaust port adjacent but spacedw from its opposite end toprovide for the escape of excess pressure within the cylinder.

3. In an apparatus for winding a curtain on a drum to hoist the curtain,a pressure cylinder, a piston slidable within the cylinder and having arod projecting therefrom, a bracket secured to the piston rod externallyof the cylinder, a guide member slidably supporting said bracket, meansoperatively connecting said bracket with said drum to provide for therotation of the drum upon movement of the piston, and means foradmitting a pressure medium to one end of the cylinder to move thepiston, said cylinder having an exhaust port adjacent but spaced fromits opposite end to provide for the escape of excess pressure within thecylinder.

In testimony whereof, I aflix my signature hereto.

J AGK B. MAPLES.

